Liberty Global has announced a series of management changes following the decision by Gene Musselman, managing director, European broadband operations, to retire from day-to-day business at the end of the year. His place will be taken by Diederik Karsten, the current managing director of UPC Netherlands.

Musselman has been with Liberty Global for almost 20 years and has a total of 35 years in the cable business. He will continue as CEO of Germany’s Unitymedia, until a replacement is found, and will serve as a special advisor to Liberty Global on a number of issues.

Karsten has been managing director of UPC Netherlands since 2004. In his new role he will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of LGI’s cable businesses spanning 10 European countries, 13.5 million customers. He will remain a board member of LGI’s Belgian subsidiary Telenet and become an executive officer of Liberty Global, reporting to President and CEO Mike Fries.

Earlier in his career Karsten served as CEO of KPN Mobile in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium and a non-executive board member of Easyjet in the UK. He also held senior management positions at PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble in the Netherlands and the United States.

“I have worked with Gene Musselman for nearly 20 years and he is one of the best operating executives the cable business has ever produced. He has made invaluable contributions to our growth and development over that time and while I’m saddened by his decision to retire,” commented Fries. “Fortunately, we did not have to look far for a successor. Diederik Karsten has been one of our top operating executives, managing the turnaround of our Dutch cable business and demonstrating the leadership and drive we will need during our next phase of growth in Europe.”

Robert Dunn, managing director of UPC Ireland since 2006, is expected to succeed Diederik Karsten as managing director of UPC Netherlands, from January 2011.

It will be a return to Amsterdam for Dunn who was managing director, finance and accounting and then CFO of UPC Broadband from 2000 to 2006.